Brazilian Politics

President Temer continues to put his strategy in place to kill the second indictment against him. At least three cabinet ministers have resigned their positions to reassume their seat in Congress to vote in his favor to remove the charges of passive corruption and criminal organization.

Stock Market Crash Always a Possibility

Robert Schiller, a Nobel prize-winner, warns that a stock market crash like 1987 could happen again, despite regulatory changes. Although modifications in legislation and technology make an exact repeat of such a disaster impossible, there is still a danger of such a mass stampede. For one thing, technology has made viral rumor transmission much easier. Since such crashes basically involve human psyche on a mass scale, they are impossible to predict or prevent.

ISIS Aftermath

Victory over the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq came at a terrible cost. Streets are filled with rubble and landmarks have been destroyed. Fleeing jihadists are already regrouping in remote areas, rearming with the help of desert smugglers.

Catalan Prepared to Break from Spain

The Spanish government plans to convene an urgent cabinet meeting on Saturday to take emergency measures to stop Catalonia’s drive for independence, after Carles Puigdemont, the Catalan leader, warned they were ready to split from Spain. A caretaker administration could be appointed and Mr. Puigdemont risks facing a long prison sentence.

Lulu Flunks CIA Training

Lulu, a black Labrador retriever flunked out of CIA’s explosion detective “puppy class” in a story that soon went viral. After undergoing rigorous training to sniff out bombs, she decided it was not her calling. She has been adopted by her trainer and enjoys her days playing with his kids. Smart dog!